diff --git a/library/vocabularies.factor b/library/vocabularies.factor
index a1ed9e36ec..b8d7f6bb56 100644
--- a/library/vocabularies.factor
+++ b/library/vocabularies.factor
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ USING: hashtables kernel lists namespaces strings sequences ;
 
 SYMBOL: vocabularies
 
-: word ( -- word ) global [ "last-word" get ] bind ;
-: set-word ( word -- ) global [ "last-word" set ] bind ;
+: word ( -- word ) "last-word" global hash ;
+: set-word ( word -- ) "last-word" global set-hash ;
 
 : vocabs ( -- list )
     #! Push a list of vocabularies.
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ SYMBOL: vocabularies
     vocab dup [ hash-values [ ] subset word-sort ] when ;
 
 : all-words ( -- list )
-    [ vocabs [ words % ] each ] make-list ;
+    vocabs [ words ] map concat ;
 
 : each-word ( quot -- )
     #! Apply a quotation to each word in the image.
@@ -40,16 +40,11 @@ SYMBOL: vocabularies
     global [ <namespace> crossref set ] bind
     [ add-crossref ] each-word ;
 
-: search ( name list -- word )
-    #! Search for a word in a list of vocabularies.
-    dup [
-        2dup car vocab ?hash [ nip ] [ cdr search ] ?ifte
-    ] [
-        2drop f
-    ] ifte ;
+: search ( name vocabs -- word )
+    [ vocab ?hash ] map-with [ ] find nip ;
 
 : <props> ( name vocab -- plist )
-    "vocabulary" swons swap "name" swons 2list alist>hash ;
+    <namespace> [ "vocabulary" set "name" set ] extend ;
 
 : (create) ( name vocab -- word )
     #! Create an undefined word without adding to a vocabulary.
@@ -58,9 +53,7 @@ SYMBOL: vocabularies
 : reveal ( word -- )
     #! Add a new word to its vocabulary.
     vocabularies get [
-        dup word-vocabulary nest [
-            dup word-name set
-        ] bind
+        dup word-name over word-vocabulary nest set-hash
     ] bind ;
 
 : create ( name vocab -- word )
@@ -85,11 +78,7 @@ SYMBOL: vocabularies
 
 : interned? ( word -- ? )
     #! Test if the word is a member of its vocabulary.
-    dup dup word-name swap word-vocabulary dup [
-        vocab dup [ hash eq? ] [ 3drop f ] ifte
-    ] [
-        3drop f
-    ] ifte ;
+    dup word-name over word-vocabulary vocab ?hash eq? ;
 
 : init-search-path ( -- )
     ! For files